Archive for Financial Aid – Page 12

Yellow Ribbon Program Instructions 2012

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs provides significant financial aid opportunities to students who served in the U.S. Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001, as well as the dependents of these veterans. More information about the bill’s benefits and eligibility requirements is available at http://www.gibill.va.gov/.

In addition, through an initiative authorized by the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, higher education institutions can provide eligible student veterans with a tuition waiver or grant that is matched by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This program, known as the Yellow Ribbon Program, enhances the base tuition benefits provided by the Post-9/11 GI Bill for those students that qualify at the 100% level for the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

SIPA is happy to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program.  Qualifying veterans and qualifying dependents of veterans may apply for consideration beginning Friday, June 15, 2012, at 1p.m. EDT.  Under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, eligibility for the Yellow Ribbon Program is determined on a first-come, first-served basis.  The application will be available at:  http://sipa.columbia.edu/resources_services/financial_aid/index.html.   Please check the site on June 15th.

For details about the Yellow Ribbon Program, visit The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs website.  If you have questions about your eligibility level for The Post 9/11 GI Bill, please contact the VA at www.va.gov or 1-888-442-4551. 

For general information about veteran affairs at Columbia University, please visit: www.veteranaffairs.columbia.edu.

An External Fellowship Opportunity — Tillman Military Scholar

We were notified that Columbia University has been selected by the Pat Tillman Foundation as a Tillman Military Scholar University Partner. This prestigious and selective partnership will provide an opportunity for Columbia student veterans or their spouses to apply for the Tillman Military scholarship.

The Pat Tillman Foundation seeks to create a community of scholars dedicated to improving their own lives, the lives of their families and their country by creating a spirit of service. The Tillman Military Scholars program supports this population by removing financial barriers to completing a degree program of choice. After selection, the program provides a forum supported by community and resources, where leadership, service and advocacy have an opportunity to flourish and in doing so creates an environment where the next generation of America’s leaders can hone their focus and skills through education while also developing a deep and real engagement within our communities.

Applications are due March 16th.

For more information, http://www.pattillmanfoundation.org

Fellowships

We are almost at the end; admission decisions for our 2-year MIA/MPA fall 2012 entering class will be released in mid-March.  Admittance into the program of your dreams can be bittersweet if you do not have the money to pay for it. So if you haven’t started already, you should be researching ways to fund your education now.

We post fellowship opportunities that come our way in our external (non-Columbia SIPA) fellowship database so check it out.  Many fellowships have application deadlines so don’t wait.

External Fellowship Opportunity

We’d like to remind students interested in applying to the 2012 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs & Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowships that the deadline is fast-approaching. The deadline for the Graduate Program is January 30th, 2012.

The Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program includes: $40,000 annually towards tuition costs and related academic expenses during the first and second year of graduate study, pending availability of funding. Two paid summer internships in Washington, DC and overseas.

For more information please visit www.woodrow.org/pickering.

Money for your studies

If you’re interested in pursuing a degree at SIPA, don’t let financial concerns be an obstacle to your goals.  The majority of SIPA students receive some type of financial assistance, including institutionally-funded Fellowships and Scholarships, student loans, and on-campus Work Study jobs.  Other students are supported by their employers or other third parties…so for many of our students, there are a number of financing options available.

Fellowships

SIPA fellowships provide students with varying combinations of tuition assistance (much like a grant or scholarship), stipends for living expenses, and part-time jobs on campus.  Fellowships are merit-based and competitive, and all you need to do is complete the Fellowship section of the SIPA Application for Admission and you’ll be considered (some programs have additional requirements, which are identified on the application).   If you haven’t completed your application yet, visit the SIPA Admissions page and click on either “Online Application” or “Download Application” to review; essays will be required, so it’s time to write!   If you are awarded a Fellowship, you must enroll for a full-time course load.

Whether you’re a domestic or international student, you can apply for a SIPA Fellowship or Scholarship.  For more information on these awards, click here.

Student Loans

Many long-term financing options are available in the form of loans from the Federal government and various private sources (the Federal loans typically offer better rates and terms).  Most loans are only available to domestic students.  To be considered, domestic students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, at www.fafsa.gov.  The information collected on the FAFSA is used by Financial Aid staff to determine your eligibility for various types of loans.  We will notify you about what types of Federal student loans you qualify for and the amount.

There are also privately funded student loans available to use to supplement Federal student loans or in place of Federal loans for students who don’t qualify (including some for international students, with co-borrowers).  Most are credit-based.  For more information on private loans, click here.

Work-Study Employment

If you’re a domestic student, you might also qualify for a part-time position on campus under the Federal Work-Study program.  Click here for more information.

 

You’ll probably have questions about financing your education along the way.  The Financial Aid Office is available to assist you in any way we can.  Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or 212-854-6216.

"The most global public policy school, where an international community of students and faculty address world challenges."

—Merit E. Janow, Dean, SIPA, Professor of Practice, International and Economic Law and International Affairs

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